5 Freedom (2)
Entering the caves with a shiver, I cringed as soon as I saw the cobwebs, my body crawling at the thought.
I HATED spiders, and that was likely to never change.
Summoning fire in both hands, I took a few breaths before entering the large clearing, the strung up web sacks shuddering slightly.
Scurrying around the room were three large Frostbite Spiders, about the size of a large dog.
Their large fangs and mandibles chittered as they moved, and the fur...
Shivering again, I hurled Firebolts towards them, shaking slightly as I saw them turn their eight eyes towards me.
Thankfully my aim was true, as they were instantly enveloped in flames.
After each one died I heard a few notifications, ignoring them as two GIGANTIC spiders dropped from the ceiling, disturbed by the weakening of their web.
Pouring more magicka into my Firebolts, I breathed a sigh of relief when the two chittering nightmare fuel were killed by my magic.
Shuddering, I bathed the area in flames, burning the webs before moving on, towards the small river that led to freedom.
Following the familiar path, I looked down towards my soaked boots with a frown, reminding myself that this was truly a real world, not some video game.
I looted what I would normally take, namely the large coin purse in the cart near the sleeping bear.
Taking my Long Bow, I nocked an arrow, aiming towards the bears skull.
Steadying my breathing, I let the arrow fly towards the sleeping bear, watching with anticipation as the projectile grew closer and closer.
Seeing it bury itself to the fletching inside the bear's skull, I jumped up, elated.
Laughing to myself, I made my way over, looking down at the large corpse of the bear.
Taking its pelt from the screen that popped up, I narrowed my eyes as I watched it go from having a lush coat of black fur to being completely skinned, the flesh bare to the world.
Kneeling beside it, I drew my dagger and sliced off a piece of flesh, looking back at the inventory screen.
Seeing the new option to loot {Bear Meat x3}, I grinned, taking the meat.
Chunks of its flesh disappeared, revealing the bone.
Wondering if I could keep going, I carved the flesh away, snapping a bone from the skeleton, nodding when I saw {Bear Bones x10} in the screen.
So it looked like I could get many, many items from a creature, and...
Looking at the bone in my hand, I saw that it was listed as its own item, meaning that if I learned how to harvest materials from animals, I could get a lot of things quickly.
Getting up, I made my way towards the exit, the feeling of the cold winter air hitting my skin.
Enjoying the familiar crisp 'taste' of the air.
Winter was always my favorite season...
Seeing the small tunnel leading outside, I exited, covering my eyes as the suns light streamed towards me.
Pine and sap clung to the air, entwining with the smell of snow and earth.
The wind gently rustled the branches and bushes, and I could hear a wolf howl in the distance.
With my eyes finally focussing, I could see the familiar sight of a snow covered pine forest, Bleak Falls Barrow in the distance, looming ominously on the Southern Mountains of Skyrim.
Hearing the beating of large wings, I looked up to see Alduin soaring through the sky, heading towards Bleak Falls Barrow.
"You are free now, mortal! Entertain me!"
I chuckled at his parting words, admiring the way such a heavy, deadly creature flew gracefully through the sky.
I looked back down at the dirt path leading out of the tunnel.
Taking a step forwards, I shivered.
This...
This was my true start...
The 'tutorial' was over...
I could travel anywhere, do anything...
Grinning, I put my foot in front of the other, admiring the way my feet sunk into the earth, leaving a print.
I had two things to do before getting to Riverwood.
First I needed to get that bandit camp, nab their Septims, see if Skill Books work, and grab that treasure map, just in case...
Secondly was to visit the Standing Stones, where I would take...
I pursed my lips, not knowing what to choose.
Leveling physical skills is easy, so I should choose either the Thief or Mage Stones, to help my other skills level up.
But which one...
As I made my way to the bandit camp nestled in a small clearing, I pondered which stone to take, looking over the three bandits.
Two women and a man, and currently the man and one of the women were fucking in one of the tents, the womans moaning echoing around the forest, joined periodically by a grunt or slapping noise.
The other woman sat beside the fire, sending glances towards the tent with pursed lips, one hand gently rubbing her snatch.
I crept up behind the woman, hearing a notification.
Ignoring it, I drew my dagger, before placing a hand over her mouth as I slit her throat.
She managed to groan loud enough to get her two companions attention, as the man shouted "Damnit Skelea, I'll fuck you next, so watch the damn camp! Argh fuck!"
He resumed pounding the woman under him, who was clinging to his body, moaning loudly.
Sighing, I sheathed my dagger and took my axe, entering the tent and burying the axe in the mans back.
The woman screamed, her eyes wide with fear as the man collapsed onto her, panting as his blood drained from his body.
She tried to push him off, to escape, only to be trapped when I placed a foot on his corpse, pinning her down.
Looking at her face, I nodded to myself, saying "Yeah, you are a decent looking girl... but, I think I want to have my first time with a Character..."
The female bandit looked at me, fear and anger in her eyes, before she stiffened, my axe buried in her skull.
{Sneak: 17 -> 18}
{One-Handed: 27 -> 28}
I grinned, enjoying the level up of my skills.
Looking through their inventories, I frowned at the lack of anything useful, before turning and searching the pouches and sacks lying around.
Finding mainly foodstuffs, I sighed in annoyance, before looking at the small satchel on the stump.
Leaving the alchemical ingredients in it, I tied it to my belt, noticing a 10 pound increase to my inventory weight, raising it to 160 pounds of space. Still, a good 100 pounds of it was dedicated to the armor and weapons in my inventory.
Finding the treasure map, I grinned to myself before picking up the book, looking at the familiar cover and title, 'The Refugees'.
It was a Light Armor skill book, and after opening it I noticed it was just like the Spell Tome; I likely needed to read and understand the contents to get the skill increase.
Sighing, I placed it in my inventory, looting the rest of the camp. A few daggers, some food, and a couple of Septims was my reward, but money was always welcome.
Making my way-out of the camp, walking along the stone paved road that was only a few dozen feet away.
Turning to head towards the river, I enjoyed the peaceful walk, the crisp air filling my lungs and rejuvenating me.
As I walked towards the Standing Stones, I nodded to myself, deciding to pick the Mage Stone.
Leveling my magic would be important, considering I could create my own spells, being able to better wield them would be important.
Besides, magic could solve so many problems, and the main one that came to mind was the Alteration spell Transmute Ore.
Turning Iron to Silver, then Silver to Gold?
Haha~ of course I would want to learn it, and potentially improve it as well.
Why not actually turn wood to gold?
Or perhaps be able to turn water into wine or ale?
The money I could make from that...
Mage Stone it is then.
Turning the corner, I walked down towards the small stone platform, looking at the three Standing Stones.
Approaching the Mage Stone in the center, I placed my hand on it, grinning as I watched the carved image of a man with a large, pointy hat glow, a beam of light shooting into the sky.
Checking my magic section, I looked towards Powers and saw the 20% increase to leveling of my magic related skills.
Looking over the White River, I grinned as I saw Riverwood in the distance, where I could start looking over a few more theories of mine, and get to meet three women I really, really wanted to sleep with.
Gerdur, Sigrid, and Camilla.
All three were characters I liked, and now that I was living here...
With a pep in my step I made my way to Riverwood, the first of many towns in this broad, interesting land known as Skyrim.
